


Not the Hero We Deserve

by alluviate



Series: Peter B. Parker Is a Sadsack™ [1]
Category: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe, Angst, Depression, Gen, Peter B. Parker Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 23:29:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18020540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alluviate/pseuds/alluviate
Summary: A dimension where Peter B. Parker and Miles are from the same universe, and Spiderman is assumed to be dead since he has not been seen around. Then Miles gets bitten by the spider, Kingpin opens his vortex, from which an alternate dimension Peter Parker shows up. Together they close the draft, but not everything goes by the plan. Then one day Miles meets a hauntingly familiar face.





	Not the Hero We Deserve

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic ever and i have no idea why i did it but i just needed a one like this... also english is not my native language so pls be gentle

_Let’s do this one more time._

_My name is Miles Morales, I am from universe 616 and when I was 14 I was bitten by a radioactive spider. For a few weeks, I was possibly the only Spiderman in the world. Then for a few days, I certainly wasn’t the only Spiderman in the world. You see, after getting my spider powers, things got a little weird._

It was years since anyone had seen even a glimpse of Spiderman. Everyone thought someone finally got to him, and successfully got rid of the body. No one knew who he was, so the people of New York just mourned their time in silence and almost deniably went to great lengths not to discuss it. What was once an ordinary sight in the streets was now a ghost. And that is exactly what Miles thought he saw a few weeks after being bitten by the spider. He really didn’t have a clue how to use his powers at first, and in lack of web-shooters, he had been training specifically climbing and, you know, unsticking, because of one minor incident at the school.

He had developed a habit of climbing to one of the highest buildings in Brooklyn every morning, just to keep up the training. There was also just something about that rooftop that draw Miles there in an inexplicable way. However, one morning when he approached the top, he sensed pretty quickly that it was occupied.

_Since when have the bad guys been setting alarm clocks? This is hardly a time for a serious ambush._

_No, it is something else._

As he got closer the sensation got overwhelming and he could barely keep his grip on the ledge. He peaked over the corner and saw what appeared to be a person in Spiderman’s original spider suit.

_This must be a scheme._

_But it feels so inviting, so familiar._

_An elaborate scheme?_

Yet he continued to walk towards the figure. It was clear that the other person was aware of his closeness but made no effort to confront him. When he was only a few feet away, the other Spiderman turned around and addressed Miles.

“Hey, Spider-Kid, I’ve been observing you.”

“Are you the real Spiderman? Why are you here? How are you here? And...” Miles blurted out all the questions he could form in his head.

“Relax, dude. This is pretty simple if you just let me explain. Well, maybe not simple, but try to hang on.”

Peter Parker, from universe 326, went to great lengths to try to make Miles understand the process of the dimension vortex leap, but the main outcome of it was…

“So, I am Spiderman from another dimension, and I need your help to close the vortex before this city collapses and I am forever trapped in here.”

“How can I help with anything, I’ve only had my powers for a few weeks, and the most impressive thing I can do is to get on this roof. I’m assuming this won’t include a climbing contest with the Kingpin?” Miles protested.

Peter took a pair of complex bracelets from his bag and offered them to Miles.

“I’ll show you the ropes.”

 

.

 

The mission was simple. While Peter distracted Kingpin and his minions, Miles would climb to the manually operated control hatch, place the goober, give Peter a signal and press the green button. What could go wrong?

On their way to the underground lab, Miles felt pretty anxious about having to give up his mentor so quickly.

“But doesn’t it feel a little easier to know that you’re not alone in the multiverse? Like you’re not the only Spiderman?”

“Not really, I’m not like you, I’m hardly a Spiderkid. The webslingers have been an amazing start but there is so much I could learn from you to become the hero this city needs.”

“Even if I wasn’t basically dying of the spasms, I would not stay. My universe needs me, my family needs me, and, in my experience, it is empowering to find the Spiderman within yourself on your own. Not easy, not fast, but worth it.”

“Huh, I guess so. So, you have a family? I haven’t even gotten to the point of considering how this will affect my parents. Should I even tell them?”

“Yeah, I got a wife and this aunt who raised me. It hasn’t always been simple, but I have never been able to lie to them. They sense every time something’s wrong, so I just tell them honestly about what I’m doing. But the most important thing is to keep your identity safe, keep your family safe.”

“I wonder what happened to the Spiderman in this universe. Did someone find out who he was and track him down? Maybe he got sucked in to another universe… You guys wear the same suit after all, have you seen any clone swinging in your universe? I wonder if he’s anything like you...”

“I wouldn’t go seeking for answers, kid. The ultimatum of the spider-life is not pretty.”

Peter and Miles arrived at the vortex.

_It’s just climbing and pushing a button._

_Inserting an USB._

_Which is sometimes hard I guess._

“Let’s go.”

 

Miles tried to keep his mind off the crashing and smashing of the fight going on down the lab. Now that he could control his invisibility skills, he was the perfect thief. It didn’t take a lot of time to reach the hatch and place the goober. Sounds of the combat had been left way behind but he knew how to give the signal by spider sense. He waited a second before pushing the button. An enormous explosion of colors began to suck the room in itself. Miles saw Peter, pinned down by Octavius’s tentacles. His mask was removed by Kingpin to reveal a young, blond guy, definitely older than Miles, but not in his 30’s. He was laying still, blue eyes open, but in a glassy stare.

“This isn’t our Spider-man.” Octavius said.

“Toss the body into the vortex, we’ll get to the real one soon.” Kingpin ordered.

Suddenly it became all quiet.

 

Miles escaped the lab through subway tunnels in an utterly shocked state. There was no one he could talk to, and definitely no one who would’ve believed all this nonsense about multiverses and vortexes. A guy who never existed here was dead, and he had no way of dealing with this. He kept replaying the events of that horrible night in his head. Spiderman’s body thrown to the vortex, lifeless and limp. Kingpins face, cold as stone. Octavius declaring that he was the wrong Spiderman.

_To hell with her, he was the best Spiderman there was._

_The best teacher I’ll ever have._

An intrusive thought popped in Miles’s head.

_Kingpin and Octavius know that the Spiderman of our universe is still alive._

_Where is he?_

Deciding to take his late mentors last advice as more of a guideline than an order Miles made his mind.

_I’m going to find Spiderman._

 

Spiderman had disappeared from the spotlight quite a time ago, but Miles still remembered clearly that the Daily Bugle used to publish detailed stories about his adventures. This was actually his only lead, so what could he do but follow it. It doesn’t take much to sneak into places with Miles’ abilities, so it did not take long for him to find a ledger with yellowed papers containing the information of the reporter who was mostly in charge of those articles.

_I can’t believe they had all their records in paper form back then…_

Peter B. Parker. Photographer and journalist.

_I hope this is still his address._

 

.

 

He rang the bell of a small white house in a suburban neighborhood. A dog started barking.

“No, Peni, sit down!” he heard muffled behind the door.

The door was opened slightly, to reveal a part of the face of a red-haired, middle aged woman.

“I’m sorry, it’s the dog. Wait a second.”

And close the door for a while. When she came back she opened the door to reveal her pregnant figure.

“What can I help you with?”

“I’m so sorry to bother you like this, but is your husband home?”

“Who’s asking?”

“Umm, I found his wallet at the gym and wanted to be sure it ended up to the right person.”

_Shit shit shit that was a bad lie what if she wants to see it._

“No, you didn’t.”

“Excuse me?”

“But I don’t really care anymore in what sort of business he is involved, so I might as well give you he’s address.”

“He doesn’t live here?”

“No. Not that it should be any of your concern but me and Peter haven’t been together for years.”

After giving the address the door slammed a bit too aggressively.

_That sure didn’t end well._

_But if Peter Parker of this universe is alive and has an address, where is Spiderman?_

 

He arrived now at the steps of a run-down apartment building in a rather sketchy part of town. All the blinds were closed, some windows boarded up, some with shards of broken glass. The buzzer was smashed so he went right in. Third floor, Peter B. Parker. Miles hadn’t exactly practiced any speeches or even an explanation for his presence, but he felt like the whole gig was such an improvised nightmare, he really didn’t care. He just needed to see the man.

After knocking on the door, it took considerable amount of time to anything happen. His enhanced hearing detected that someone was in there and finally the same thing happened that with multiverse Peter. Recognition of similarity.

“Who’s this?” he heard a raspy voice behind the door.

“Mr. Parker, I need to talk to you. It´s… Spiderman stuff.”

“Go somewhere else to sell your crap”.

“Please listen. I know this sounds insane, but Kingpin and Octavius killed another dimension version of you… And they are coming after you, and then they will blow up the whole city with vortex-nonsense I’m not equipped to explain through this door” Miles blurted.

“How do you know about Kingpin and Octavius?” said a baffled voice.

“Just let me in. I know you can sense I’m like you, not an enemy.”

“I hope you’re nothing like me” he said barely audibly but opened the door.

 

It was dim and there was an undeniable smell of old food and liquor. Miles had a better sense of his surroundings than normal people, but it was still a challenge not to trip on piles of clothes, beer bottles and fast-food containers. Only when they got through the kitchen, Miles could see the guy better in the pale glow of the TV.

“What the hell happened to you?” Miles blurted out, regretting his words instantly.

This was not the same Peter Parker and he should have remembered that. Certainly not the same. Peter B. Parker slumped on the couch with a weary but inquisitive look on his face. His face which was the exact replica of the one Miles had seen lay dead just a few days ago. Not exact _exact_ , the hair was a different color, and so were the eyes, older, but it was definitely the same face. Same could not have been said about his body. It was almost a miracle how the waistband of his sweatpants was staying together under his bloated stomach. Miles’ eyes had clearly lingered way too long at his belly-area for Peter to notice and get slightly annoyed.

“My eyes are up here, you know.”

“Sorry it’s just so strange to see another you, I mean not you but…”

“A worse one? Got it.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you’re thinking about it.”

“I came here to save your life, so could you stop being so moody?”

“No. Besides, look around. What is here to save?”

Peter grabbed a half-finished whiskey bottle from the couch and took a long sip.

Miles kept staring at him with unbelief.

“It’s not all about you. The city will collapse. Don’t you care? About the people, about MJ?”

Spark of recognition flashed in Peters eyes.

“So, what if we save the city. There will always be another disaster. And another. You can’t stop them all.”

“Maybe not me, but us.”

“Do I look like I’m ready for backflips?” Peter raised his voice in annoyance.

Miles stopped to think about it for a while. Peter was clearly depressed, possibly an alcoholic and helplessly out of shape especially in comparison to his alternate version, but he was too determined to find his old self under it all.

“Is that why you quit doing your job? You weren’t always like this” Miles said softly, avoiding to sound too judgmental.

“You don’t know anything about nothing, you’re a child. This isn’t some comic book.”

Peter turned his head towards the TV to pretend that the conversation was over, and he didn’t want to think about it, but it was a pathetic effort. Miles saw tears forming in his eyes.

_What the hell am I supposed to do?_

_There is no class for how to comfort a big man baby in his life’s crisis._

“You… you want to talk about it?” Miles said.

“No.” Peter said with arrogance after suspiciously blinking his eyes dry.

“Okay, I guess then pout.”

Miles was getting slightly angry with Peter.

_We all got issues, but can’t you put yours behind for a second for the sake of this world?_

Peter finished the bottle and was knocked out in no time. Miles sat on the couch for a while looking at the sadsack that used to be the hero of this city. He found a ratty blanket to cover the man and laid down on his greasy futon.

_I’ll try again tomorrow._

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea if I should end it here or go on about what happens next..?


End file.
